Brake for bending sheet material

ABSTRACT

THE BRAKE FOR BENDING SHEET MATERIAL DISCLOSED HEREIN COMPRISES A PAIR OF SPACED BASE RAILS ON WHICH C-SHAPED MEMBERS ARE POSITIONED AT LONGITUDINALLY SPACED POINTS. A FIRST MEMBER IS FIXED ON THE LOWER ARMS OF THE C-SHAPED MEMBERS AND HAS A CLAMPING SURFACE. A SECOND MEMBER HAVING A BENDING SURFACE IS HINGED TO THE FIRST MEMBER. AN ANVIL MEMBER IS PROVIDED OVER THE CLAMPING SURFACE AND A PRESSURE MEMBER IS INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE ANVIL MEMBER AND THE UPPER ARMS OF THE C-SHAPED MEMBERS. THE PRESSURE MEMBER HAS WEDGES THEREON WHICH FUNCTION WHEN THE PRESSURE MEMBER IS TRANSLATED LONGITUDINALLY TO APPLY PRESSURE TO THE ANVIL MEMBER. A HANDLE IS PIVOTED TO THE FIRST MEMBER AT ONE END AND IS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE PRESSURE MEMBER FOR SHIFTING THE PRESSURE MEMBER. COMPLEMENTARY LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING RIBS AND VALLEYS ARE PROVIDED BETWEEN THE SURFACES OF THE PRESSURE MEMBER AND ANVIL MEMBER. AN ELECTRICAL STRIP HEATER IS HINGED TO THE C-SHAPED MEMBERS AND IS MOVABLE INTO A POSITION ADJACENT THE HINGE LINE FOR HEATING THE BENDING POINT OF MATERIAL WHERE THE MATERIAL TO BE BENT IS MADE OF PLASTIC SUCH AS VINYL SHEET.

L. :-:.a-:iL zEY ET v 3, BRAKE smmiue SHEET MATERIAL I Feb. 2, 1971 Y 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 4.2 1368 v INVENTORS v Zflh'ebvceE 5442:) v1m; nee 6. Amesw ATTORNEYS L. E. BLAZEY ETA!- BRAKE FOR BENDING SHEETMATERIAL Feb. 2, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 4, 1968 INVENTORSZAMQEA/CEEBAAZfY BY 17/9472 G/MAZJH ATTORNEYS United States Patent3,559,444 BRAKE FOR BENDING SHEET MATERIAL Lawrence E. Blazey and WalterG. Marsh, Detroit, Mich., assignors to Tapco Products Company, Inc.,Detroit,

Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Mar. 4, 1968, Ser. No. 710,326

Int. Cl. B21d 11/04 US. Cl. 72-319 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThe brake for bending sheet material disclosed herein comprises a pairof spaced base rails on which C-shaped members are positioned atlongitudinally spaced points. A first member is fixed on the lower armsof the C-shaped members and has a clamping surface. A second memberhaving a bending surface is hinged -to the first member. An anvil memberis provided over the clamping surface and a pressure member isinterposed between the anvil member and the upper arms of the C-shapedmembers. The pressure member has wedges thereon which function when thepressure member is translated longitudinally to apply pressure to theanvil member. A handle is pivoted to the first member at one end and isoperatively connected to the pressure member for shifting the pressuremember. Complementary longitudinally extending ribs and valleys areprovided between the surfaces of the pressure member and anvil member.An electrical strip heater is hinged to the C-sha-ped members and ismovable into a position adjacent the hinge line for heating the bendingpoint of material .where the material to be bent is made of plastic suchas vinyl sheet.

This invention relates to brakes for bending sheet material such asaluminum sheet and vinyl sheet that is utilized for application assiding for buildings and the like.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide an improved brake ofthe type disclosed and claimed in the patent to Marsh No. 3,161,223,issued Dec. 15, 1964, which is more efficient, subject to tougher usageand which can be utilized for bending plastic sheet material such asvinyl siding.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a sheet bendingbrake embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary part sectional view of a modified form of sheetbending brake.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the sheet bending brake shownin FIG. 3.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the sheet bending brake embodying theinvention comprises a pair of spaced inverted channel members 10, 11formed of aluminum extrusions and longitudinally spaced C-shaped members12 comprising aluminum castings bolted to the rails 10, 11. EachC-shaped member 12 includes a lower arm 13, an upper arm 14 and anintermediate portion 15. The lower arms 13 are bolted to the rails 10,11.

A first member 16 in the form of an inverted channel is fixed on thelower leg 13 and a second channel 17 is hinged along one edge to thechannel 16. Members 16, 17 are formed with mating integral projections18, 19 along their adjacent longitudinal edges that are made 3,559,444Patented Feb. 2, 1971 by machining the edges along flat transverseplanes. The projections are provided with aligned openings 20 and ahinge pin 21 is inserted in the openings to complete the hinge.

The upper surface 22 of member 16 provides a clamping surface and agenerally L-shaped anvil member 23 is provided in overlying relation tothe clamping surface 22 of the member 16. The anvil member 23 includes asharp longitudinally extending edge 24 adjacent the hinge line.

A pressure or backing plate 25 is provided in overlying relationship tothe anvil member 23 and has inclined cams or wedges 26 fixed atlongitudinally spaced points thereon in overlying relationship to thearms 14 of C- s'haped members 12. The pressure member 25 is adapted tobe moved longitudinally by an arrangement which includes a bracket 27fixed on the member 16 at one end. An operating handle or lever 28 ispivoted at its lower end to the bracket 27 and intermediate its ends toa bracket 29 extending from a block 30 on the pressure member 25. Byshifting the lever inwardly or toward the left as viewed in FIG. 1, thepressure member 25 is moved to wedge the pressure member downwardly ontothe anvil member 23 to clamp a piece of sheet material S between theanvil member 23 and the first member 16.

Spring plates 31 are fixed to each upper arm 14 and extend betweenbrackets 32 fixed 0n the anvil member 23 to tend to elevate the anvilmember 23 when the cams 26 are moved to the right as viewed in FIG. 1.

The anvil member 23 and pressure member 25 have cooperating generallyV-shaped ribs 33, 34 and valleys 35, 36 which extend longitudinallybetween the edges thereof for guiding the movement of the pressuremember relative to the anvil member.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ends of the anvil member 23 and pressure member25 extend beyond the end of the first member 16 sufliciently so thatwhen the pressure member 25 is moved to the right to relieve thepressure on the anvil member no portion of the end of the pressuremember extends beyond the end of the anvil member. This insures that thepressure member will not become bent or damaged and will at all timesremain straight insuring a uniform pressure on the sheet material.

When a piece of sheet material such as aluminum sheet metal is to bebent, the lever 28 is swung to the right as viewed in FIG. 1 to relievethe clamping pressure and to elevate the anvil member 23. The sheetmaterial is then inserted in proper position between the member 16 andanvil member 23 and the lever 28 is moved to the left as viewed in FIG.1 to clamp the sheet metal. The member 17 is then swung upwardly througha handle, not shown, to bend the sheet material to the desired angle.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, provision is madefor heating the line of bending so that plastic sheet material can bebent. An electrical strip heater 40 is fixed to an aluminum angle 41that is supported on U-shaped hinge members 42 that are pivoted to theupper arm 43 of the C-shaped members. Insulating material 44 isinterposed between the angle 41 and the hinges 42. The heater and angleextend longitudinally throughout the length of the hinge and when in theposition shown in FIG. 4, the heater engages the strip material alongthe bend line applying heat thereto. After a predetermined interval,depending on the nature of the plastic material to be bent, the heateris swung upwardly 3 to the broken line position permitting the member 17to 'be swung upwardly to bend the material that has been heated alongthe hinge line.

We claim:

1. In a brake for bending sheet material, the combination comprising afirst member having a clamping surface,

a second member having a bending surface,

means for hinging said second member to' said first member,

an anvil member extending longitudinally of said first member,

a pressure member extending longitudinally of said anvil member forapplying pressure to said anvil member to clamp a workpiece on theclamping surface of said first member,

said last-mentioned member having wedge means thereon,

means mounted on said first member for shifting said pressure memberlongitudinally to engage said wedge means,

the longitudinal ends of said anvil member and said pressure memberextending beyond the end of said first member to which said shiftingmeans is attached such that no portion of the pressure member extendsbeyond the anvil member.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the cooperating surfacesof said anvil member and said pressure member are formed with aplurality of complementary longitudinal ribs and valleys spaced from theedges of said members.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said ribs and valleysare generally V-shaped.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said anvil member has alongitudinal edge extending along the hinge line and means for applyingheat to the sheet material along the hinge line while said first memberis in position for clamping a piece of sheet material.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said last-mentionedmeans is movable into and out of position along said hinge line.

6. In a brake for bending sheet metal, the combination comprising a pairof spaced base rails,

a plurality of C-shaped members positioned on said base rails atlongitudinally spaced points,

each said C-shaped member comprising a lower arm fixed to said rails andan upper arm spaced from and overlying said lower arm,

a first member fixed on the lower arms of said C-shaped members andhaving a clamping surface,

an anvil member,

means for locking said anvil member on said first member to clamp apiece of sheet metal between said anvil member and said clamping surfaceof said first member,

a second member having a bending surface,

said first and second members having longitudinally spaced integralintermeshing projections extending outwardly along substantially theentire length of the longitudinal edges thereof,

each said projection of each said member being positioned such that allportions thereof do not extend above the plane of the surface of itscorresponding member when the surfaces are substantially aligned,

said projections having aligned openings,

a hinge pin extending through said openings to define a hinge,

said anvil member having a longitudinal edge extending along said hingeline,

said means for clamping said anvil member against said first memberincluding cam means between said upper arms of said C-shaped members andsaid anvil member,

means for shifting said pressure member longitudinally to engage saidcam means,

the longitudinal ends of said anvil member and said pressure memberextending beyond the end of said first member to which said shiftingmeans is attached.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein the cooperating surfacesof said anvil member and said pressure member are formed with aplurality of complementary longitudinal ribs and valleys spaced from theedges of said members.

8. The combination set forth in claim 7 wherein said 10 ribs and valleysare generally V-shaped.

9. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said anvil member has alongitudinal edge extending along the hinge line and means for applyingheat to the sheet material along the hinge line,

said heater means being operable to heat said piece of sheet materialwhen said first member is in position for clamping said piece of sheetmaterial.

10. The combination set forth in claim 9 wherein means for pivoting saidlast-mentioned means on said upper arms for movement into and out ofposition along said hinge line.

11. In a brake for bending sheet material, the combination comprising afirst member having a clamping surface,

a second member having a bending surface,

means for hinging said second member to said first member,

an anvil member extending longitudinally of said first member,

a pressure member extending longitudinally of said anvil member forapplying pressure to said anvil member to clamp a workpiece on theclamping surface of said first member,

means for locking said anvil member on said first member to clamp apiece of sheet material between said anvil member and said clampingsurface of said first member,

means for applying heat to said sheet material along the bending linewhile said piece of sheet material is clamped by said first member,

and means for mounting said last-mentioned means for movement between aposition adjacent said bending line and a position out of the path ofsaid second member to permit bending of said sheet material.

12. In a brake for bending sheet material, the combination comprising apair of spaced base rails,

a plurality of C-shaped members positioned on said base rails atlongitudinally spaced points,

each said C-shaped member comprising a lower arm fixed to said rails andan upper arm spaced from and overlying said lower arm,

a first member fixed on the lower arms of said C-shaped members andhaving a clamping surface,

an anvil member,

means for locking said anvil member on said first member to clamp apiece of sheet material between said anvil member and said clampingsurface of said first member,

a second member having a bending surface,

each said projection of each said member being positioned such that allportions thereof do not extend above the plane of the surface of itscorresponding member when the surfaces are substantially aligned,

said projections having aligned openings,

a hinge pin extending through said openings to define a hinge,

said anvil member having a longitudinal edge extending along said hingeline,

said means for clamping said anvil member against said first memberincluding cam means between said upper arms of said C-shaped members andsaid anvil member,

means for shifting said pressure member longitudinally to engage saidcam means,

and heater means hinged to said upper arms of said References CitedC-shaped members for movement between a position adjacent said hingeline for heating a piece of sheet UNITED STATES PATENTS material to aposition out of the path of Said second 2,937,689 5/ 1960 Peterson 72305member to permit bending of the sheet material 3,009,201 11/ 1961 Hansen1819BM saidheater means being operable to heat said piece of 5 3,147,7919/ 1964 Rauen et a1 72319 sheet material while said piece of sheetmaterial is 3,149,376 9/1964 Lee 1819BM clamped by said first member.3,161,223 12/ 1964 Marsh 72319 13. The combination set forth in claim 12wherein said heater means comprises a; electric strip1 heater and hinges10 RICHARD T. HERBST, Primary Examiner ivotall mounting said eater onsai upper arms. p 14.; T he combination set forth in claim 1 whereinsaid KEENAN Asslstant Exammer cooperating surfaces of said anvil memberand said pres- U S C1 sure member comprise integral portions of saidpressure 296 member and anvil member which extend longitudinally 15 andguide said pressure member longitudinally while preventing lateralmovement thereof.

